Chapter 1: Game Forum
Muddy river water, bubbles, swirling currents, and the blurred light refracting from the river's surface. He struggled desperately, breaking through to the surface, shouting for help to passersby on the bank. But all he got was their indifferent gazes. Some even took out their phones to snap photos, their faces full of excitement.
He sank beneath the water again, his body temperature rapidly dropping, strength ebbing away. His mind went blank; all he could think of was struggling, but he was too weak. As he sank, his dim eyes looked towards the water's surface. The refracted light seemed almost sacred. The next moment, his eyes widened—that was...
"Whoo!" Lu Li opened his eyes. The summer twilight turned the campus golden. The temperature had slightly dropped, but it was still unbearably hot. The ceiling fan above was spinning furiously. On the podium, the teacher continued to lecture, chalk dust falling from his fingers as he explained one exam point after another.
"Ding-a-ling, ding-a-ling..." The bell signaling the end of class rang, but the teacher merely paused and said, "Just two more questions. Stay a bit longer, and we'll finish before leaving."
Ignoring the students' groans, the teacher continued his lecture. Lu Li, sitting in the last row, leaned against the wall with an indifferent expression. The reduced flexibility in his left hand and the notification box at the corner of his vision reminded him that what he had just experienced was no dream.
From the information provided at the end of class, Lu Li roughly estimated how much time had passed in the real world: "About half an hour, huh? And why did I dream about that thing?"
Setting aside useless thoughts, Lu Li instinctively knew how to use the notification box. With a mental command, he opened the box still visible at the corner of his vision. The interface turned into his personal data, with an inventory displaying his items below.
As his mind navigated, a chat box appeared, filled with notifications:
**[Temporary ID Z0001, you've been assigned the official ID YZ0135. Please choose your alias and avoid revealing your ID or real name to others.]**
**[You've completed the test instance and can perform basic enhancement at any time.]**
**[Your skill slots have been unlocked. Current slots: 3.]**
**[Complete your enhancements soon. The interval between instance entries is one week to one month.]**
**[You've gained access to the forum and shop.]**
**[The Xuanyuan Seven Chapter Secret Scripture: Cinnabar Reanimation Talisman has been automatically decomposed into Control Module: Manipulation and Control Module: Empowerment.]**
**[Be cautious in the forum. Beware of scams.]**
Lu Li continued exploring the interface, which had only a few sections: his personal information, a dialogue box with the game, the forum, and the shop. He could control everything with his thoughts.
Opening the forum, a dialogue box prompted him to choose an alias. Lu Li quickly entered his online handle: "Guangguai" (Light Monster).
With his alias set, he entered the forum and saw numerous posts with various titles. These posts were divided into free and paid categories. Scanning through, he noticed that free posts generally lacked valuable content, while paid posts often contained useful information. For example:
- "Choosing Similar Rule Modules" by Captain Crash, charging 50 game points. Glancing at the bottom right corner, Lu Li saw a coin icon next to the number 900, indicating his total game points.
- Among the free titles, one stood out humorously: "Newbie Seeking Support, Willing to Warm Beds, Only 200 Game Points!" by Jin Wuxin (Heartless Gold).
Lu Li's attention was drawn to a specific paid title: "Newbie Guide: Enhancements and Skill Choices!" by Rìyuè Chūyǐ ér Juéfǒ Bùxī (The Sun and Moon Rise While the Lights Don't Go Out).
After some thought, Lu Li paid the 50 game points and entered the post. Juéfǒ's post was concise, diving straight into essential points for newcomers:
**"Newbie Guide, Rule One: Do not reveal yourself in the real world. Reality is complicated."**
**"Newbie Guide, Rule Two: The shop has an automatic repair function. Pay for repairs if you're injured in the game."**
**"Newbie Guide, Rule Three: Focus on strengthening yourself. Don't rely on bringing modern weapons into the game."**
**"Most newbies barely pass their first test instance, earning roughly 200 game points. The modules you gain typically come from post-instance draws. Of course, there's always a chance you get nothing."**
**"With 200 game points, you can only afford two basic modules. Therefore, newbies shouldn't consider buying modules from the shop to form skills. Prioritize your basic enhancements. Let's discuss the three basic enhancement paths."**
**"This isn't an all-powerful infinite space. Enhancements here are limited to three paths plus skill enhancements: Mutation, Implant, and Heart Demon."**
**"These paths aren't ranked by superiority but by suitability. Let's start with the Mutation path, where you choose a part of your body to mutate into a controllable, mutated organ. For example, if you mutate your hair, it might become snake-like. Different people mutating the same part might have similar but unique results."**
**"There's no absolute choice for mutation. Some choose their hands, others their brains, and some even choose other... appendages. Your choice depends on what suits you. This path has high growth potential but controlling the mutated organs can be difficult. Choose carefully!"**
**"Next, the Implant path involves implanting items from monsters into your body, allowing you to harness their power. This path offers the quickest power development but relies on the game GM to provide the implants, which may limit high-level progress later."**
**"Lastly, the Heart Demon path manifests a deep-seated aspect of your psyche into a powerful Heart Demon beast. These beasts are strong but can backfire, and because your power is concentrated in the Heart Demon, your physical strength might be weaker."**
**"Choose your path based on your circumstances, as it will determine your future development. Now, let's talk about skills."**
**"Newbies have three skill slots. Generally, they shouldn't focus on skills right away, but if you obtained good items in your test instance, here's how skills work."**
**"Skills in this game aren't directly granted but must be assembled using modules!"**
**"A standard skill typically consists of several components: Energy Module, Control Module, Rule Module, and Form Module..."**
The post continued with detailed explanations, providing crucial insights for new players navigating the complexities of the game.
End of the chapter.